This is Ryno's 2nd Annual Masters themed TD competition. If you want to get a better idea of how this works, look up TD-237. This year's event will run in the same manner.
This week (April 7-10) The Masters Tournament of golf will be held at the Augusta National Golf Club. This TD is in honor of The Masters. Don’t worry you need not be a fan of golf to play this TD, though knowledge about golf can certainly help. The theme is used as a framing device. Like most TDs this one should touch on a diverse array of subject matter. There should be something for everybody. That said, when it comes to the format and scoring of this TD, I set it up like a golf tournament, so see the rules and format below.
Tournament Rules
Give correct answers that match as few of the other players as possible. Just like golf, the lower your score the better. On each question you may score:
-2 = Singleton! (one player with a particular correct answer)
-1 = Doubleton (two players with the same correct answer)
+2 = SHEEP (most common correct answer)
+3 = Incorrect answer
PAR = When none of the above apply
• You may drop one question, which will score PAR. Please write “PAR”.
• Blank answers will be considered incorrect as will second drops.
• Four questions will have a bonus (“Birdie Opportunity”), in which a correct answer will score -1. There is no penalty for incorrect answers on these bonus questions.
• Minor spelling or title discrepancies are OK, I’ll be somewhat flexible.
• No external help (e.g. Google, Wikipedia).
Tournament Format:
This TD tournament is scheduled for 4 rounds (just like a golf tournament) composed of a total of 12 questions. Each round consists of 3 questions with one bonus. There is also a “Playoff Question” in case of a tie for first place. After two rounds (6 questions) there will be a CUT. That means that only the top 50% scoring players (plus ties) will continue on for rounds 3 and 4. So when it comes to scoring, I will only be considering and counting those players that made the cut for questions 7 to 12. That said, make sure that you answer all 12 questions!
Ties will be recognized, except for the winner. If there is a tie for first place then I will consider the Playoff Question, so make sure that you answer that one too. Note: there is an earlier date to be considered for this Playoff Question.
Submit your responses to me by PM. Do not post your answers on this message thread.
Due by Sunday April 10th at 11:00 PM EST.
Now on to the tournament.
ROUND ONE - (RECENT CHAMPS ROUND)
Question #1
2015 Maters champion Jordan Spieth is sometimes described as a "Boy Scout" by commentators due to his squeaky clean image and politeness with reporters. In honor of Jordan Spieth, name one of the 13 required merit badges that a Boy Scout must earn in order to attain the rank of Eagle Scout. Note: I will be somewhat flexible here, I will accept answers that basically give the basic "gist" of the official name of the merit badge. (13 possible answers)
Birdie Opportunity (bonus question): Name a corporate sponsor of a regular PGA tournament won by Jordan Spieth.
Question #2
2014 & 2012 Masters champion Bubba Watson is well-known for his pink shirts and pink driver. In honor of Bubba Watson, name a studio album by the legendary band "Pink Floyd", or a solo studio album by the singer Pink (AKA, Alecia Moore). (21 possible answers)
Question #3
2009 Masters champion Angel Cabrera is one of the great players from the nation of Argentina. In honor of Angel Cabrera, name one of the nations, other than Italy or Vatican City, that has been visited by a more famous native son, Pope Francis, from July 22, 2013 (first papal overseas visit) to February 18, 2016 (last overseas visit). (20 possible answers)
ROUND TWO - (AUGUSTA SIGHTS ROUND)
Question #4
The Green Jacket is awarded to the Champion of the Masters Tournament. In honor of The Green Jacket, name one of the standard colors of green that has been used for Crayola crayons, past or present. (27 possible answers)
Question #5
An iconic sight at Augusta National is "Magnolia Lane". The road lined with 61 magnolia trees on each side which leads to the clubhouse. Mississippi is known as the "Magnolia State". So in honor of all things magnolia, name a novel written by: William Faulkner, Eudora Welty or John Grisham. (many possible answers)
Birdie Opportunity (bonus question): OK, so Augusta National always hosts the Masters, but which golf course will host the 2016 men's U.S. Open this June?
Question #6
The Masters is held every year in Georgia. Martin Luther King, Jr. is from Georgia. So with that in mind, name one of the people (historical or contemporary) mentioned by name in Martin Luther King's famous "Letter from Birmingham Jail". (28 possible answers)
ROUND THREE - (AROUND THE COURSE ROUND)
Question #7
No bag of golf clubs would be complete without the wedges, the "pitching wedge" (PW) and the "sand wedge" (SW). In honor of these clubs, name a chemical element from the periodic table that has either the letters P, S or W as a part or whole of its atomic symbol.
(24 possible answers)
Question #8
One of the iconic sights at Augusta National was the "Eisenhower Tree", a loblolly pine at the 17th hole which became infamous because former President Dwight Eisenhower used to drive his tee shots into it on a regular basis. In honor of the Eisenhower Tree name one of the five code-named beaches of the June 6, 1944 Normandy landings (D-Day), or one of the six U.S. Army divisions that participated in these landings. (11 possible answers)
Birdie Opportunity (bonus question): In what year was the Eisenhower Tree removed from Augusta National due to extensive damage from a rainstorm?
Question #9
Another famous sight at Augusta National is the "Hogan Bridge", a footbridge over Rae's Creek which leads to the green on the 12th hole. In honor of the Hogan Bridge, name a nation which has at least one of the 50 longest suspension bridges in the world.
(12 possible answers)
ROUND FOUR - (LEGENDS ROUND)
Question #10
Legendary golfer and three-time Masters champion Gary Player is known as the "Black Knight" because of his signature all-black wardrobe. In honor of Gary Player, name a television series, special or TV-movie which has seen an appearance by another famous man in black - Johnny Cash. Note: this includes starring roles, supporting roles, guest appearances and even cartoon voice overs. To clarify, this includes a few variety shows and a documentary where Johnny Cash appears as "himself", but not talk shows (e.g. The Tonight Show)
(26 possible answers)
Birdie Opportunity (bonus question): Name a singer who has attached his or her name as a title sponsor to a PGA or LPGA tournament.
Question #11
Jack Nicklaus has won more Masters titles than anyone, six total, and has earned the nickname, the "Golden Bear". Just as William Shakespeare is considered the greatest playwright ever, many consider Jack Nicklaus the greatest golfer ever. In honor of Jack Nicklaus: a few quotes from Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" contain the word "gold", name a word from such a quotation besides
"gold"; or give a stage direction from a Shakespeare play which has the word "bear" (need full quote). (many possible answers)
Question #12
Last but not least, four-time Masters champion Arnold Palmer is such a legend that he even has a drink named after him the "Arnold Palmer" (half iced tea, half lemonade). In honor of Arnold Palmer, name one of the top 10 selling tea companies in the world, or one of the companies that produced one of the 19 brands of lemonade that were subject to a 2013 taste test by the Good Housekeeping Institute. Note: these tea companies sell bags of tea that can be used for making hot tea or iced tea. (26 possible answers)
PLAYOFF QUESTION
Note: Need to submit by 8:00 AM EST on Thursday, April 7th! Otherwise, by default, I will use earliest entry as your tie-breaker, but those that submit a score will have the advantage.
What will be the winning four round score of the 2016 Masters?
(To help you, the last four winning four round scores were: 270, 280, 279 & 278)
(Hopefully, you see why I need your guesses in by Thursday morning for this
) Thanks. Good luck to all players.
Nineteen players made it in before the deadline to be considered for the Playoff Question, in case there is a tie for first place (winner) at the end of 12 questions. Keep in mind, ties for 2nd place and below will be recognized, just like an actual golf tournament. 
